Assignment 3/14

I used a new database found on GALILEO.  I browsed by subject and found a database called Worldwide Political Science Abstract.  After changing my key words three times, I found 1 result that related to my topic.  This database seemed to me as if it was harder to use.  I had to be really specific to get anything close to what I was looking for.  I only got 1 result, but in the end that one article was really helpful.  In the future I would not choose this database again, just because of the inconvenience.  It seems as if the only database that has worked for me is Academic Search complete.  The same keywords that I used for Academic Search Complete did not work so much for Worldwide Political Science Abstract.  My keywords were: antidepressants AND effectiveness OR efficiency AND natural depression OR depression.  When using the new database I had to switch effectiveness to good and active to good. 

Assignment 2/14

The presearch of background information helped a lot to refine my search.  Searching it on the GALILAO helped me change and choose a better topic.  At first my topic was on total institutions, after searching it on academic research I realized that there was not a lot of results and should choose a better topic.  My second choice became my better choice.  When I searched results for antidepressants many reliable results came up.  The results varied and gave my options to talk about for one topic.  I think that my topic should be narrowed down, also that it may be too broad.  I should make it easy enough to find information but not easy enough to find the answer in 10 minutes.  My research question is “Are antidepressants an effective way of treating natural depression?”  The book I found in the library is The Antidepressants Era, by David Healy (RM332.H42)

Assignment 2/12

Doing research in this class is completely different then the way I have done it last semester and throughout my grade school career.  Usually I go onto Google and try to avoid Wikipedia and look for websites that end in org.  In this class I am certain that anything found within the databases are reliable information to use in an argument or paper on a scholarly level.  Over the last couple weeks everything has made sense to me accept for looking for a book on other schools websites.  I remember you saying something about making a PIN, but I still haven’t and do not know how.  Another thing that is still confusing is checking out a book.  I know how to find and locate the floor of the book, but how do you actually find the book without knowing how to use the call number.   I would like us to have more resources other than GALILAO databases relating to our research. 

Assignment 1/31

At this point I have somewhat narrowed down my topic.  One of my topics is about the efficiency of total institutions in society.  Total institutions are facilities or programs that keep individual isolated form society for a purpose.  My second topic is about the efficiency of anti-depressants on humans. Are the benefits of the drug outweighing the side effects of depression and addiction?  When I searched for books, the words that worked best were; antidepressants, effective, depression.  The ones that didn’t were effective and natural depression.   For total institutions, I tried total institutions effect society.  No results were found after many tries so I decided to go with my second option.  It seemed easier to find articles on antidepressants.  An example of a primary source that I might be able to use would be a book that I find in the library on anti-depressants. 

Assignment 1/29

There are so many different information sources that can be used on the internet to research my topic.  Normally the first site that I would go to would be Google to find information.  Google results are not always the most creditable to build an argument from.  Information sources that I will be using are the data bases found on the UWG library website.  GALIAO is where I will look for the databases; academic research is a data base where I have looked and found good, reliable information to cite during my research.  Disciplines that might have an interest are sociology and phycology.  Doctors will be interested to know if they are prescribing the right people and drug for the symptoms of a patient.  Layers would want to know in case they were defending someone that was addicted to the drug or taking it to ease their depression. Therapist will need to know the effectiveness.  They will need to give the candidate the right assessment to see if they are a good candidate for the drug.  They all are responsible in some way and should take an interest in my topic. 

Assignment 1/24

After being absent for many classes, the first day that I came back was an overload of information.  I did a lot of in class research with the professors help and my peers.  I learned almost everything in on day while doing my topic selection worksheet.  That is the class that I will refer to for this blog assignment.  A keyword that I learned was data base.  GALILO is not a data base; it is like storage of all the databases on the website.  I learned that antidepressants must be prescribed after an assessment is done by your doctor or therapist.  I learned that some pregnant woman do take antidepressants during and after their pregnancy.  While searching for information I learned that this is the most controversial thing surrounding antidepressants.  The thing that I am interested in is the effectiveness of the drug and the addiction rate to these antidepressants.  This class finally gave me an understanding of what we were doing in the class and how to formulate a good research question.  One that was not too broad but not easy to find without doing research.  My approach to the project is better now sice concepts and terms are clearly understood.

Assignment 1/17

Two topics that I would be interested in researching are total institutions and medication taken to control natural emotions.  Total institutions are places that strip an individual’s identity to make them learn a lesson or become one with the group.  The reason why I chose total institutors was because I am learning about this in sociology.  It interest me to research if places like prison, boot camp, and rehab are effective methods of discipline, and are they worth the money tax payers put into them, and the time the residents spend there.  Antidepressants interested me because I always hear about the negative side effects and misuse of the drug.  I want to research the addiction rate and if the drug really does help the user more than it hurts them.  Anti-depressants are a common drug taken all over the world and prescribed heavily.  I want to research the good and bad to make a judgment of my own by getting stats and facts.  I want to understand if the drugs should be avoided or recommended. 

Assignment 3/5

The first media tool that I tried was Twitter search.  My research question has to with antidepressants.  I used the search bar on twitter and typed in antidepressants.  A wide variety of things came up dealing with depression.  The one that caught my attention was an article arguing that anti-depressants should be banned while pregnant.  All together it was not that helpful in finding information specifically relating to the efficiency of antidepressants.   These posts were helpful to everyday life and interest.  I never realized how much positive feedback I could get from a social networking site.  If I was to specify my search, I am sure that I would get a better outcome relating to my research question.  For other purposes, the only reason that I use social media is to keep up with my friends and stay informed of upcoming events, now that almost every business and organization is on some sort of social media.  I’m not into social Medias enough to go out and use/find other social Medias.  The ones that I do have accounts with were just recently made and or I never get on them enough to see all that they offer besides personal blogging.

2/28 Assignment

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/26/titanic-2-launch-new-york-replica

I went on to twitter and searched current events for the Titanic 2.  This interested me because I love the movie Titanic.  It is one of my favorite movies and the thought of someone recreating the original ship amazes me.  The creator, Clive Palmer, says that the there is no way that this ship can sink.  He firmly believes that if there were to be a tragedy, the ship is fully equipped with the capability of saving the lives of passengers.  There were minor changes to safety and efficiency features.  The weird thing to me was that the ship will still have 3 levels for the class of people.  Palmer says that the passenger doesn’t necessarily have to stay in their class level but it should be fun and he plans to maintain the original feel. In a way the author is making a argument; he wants people to feel that his replica is safe and improved.  Many people feel as if it is unsafe because the first ship sank.  The author wants to inform readers that the boat is well equipped.  They incorporate evidence with virtual blue prints of the Titanic 2.  The author puts emotion in it, feeling pity for the people lost during the first voyage.

Special Collection 2/7

Special collections can be utilized in many ways when doing research.   Special collections can be used when trying to persuade someone, or when evidence and facts are needed.  It would be needed for another course when writing a persuasive essay, writing a biography on someone’s life.  It would help by including a special collection photo or article of the person and events in their life time.  I’ve always been interested in Dinosaur fossils.  If I were to take this course, special collections would be a vital to hands on learning.  Another course would be Oral Communications; last semester seeing portraits and photographs up close would have helped and strengthen the presentation of the artist.  Special collections make an important part of research process because it helps find and validate information that may not be found on the internet.  Hard core, tangible evidence may be the best approach in some researches and presentations.

Last year around the holidays I was stuck between two major purchases.  Technically I was not buying it but I had to choose between the two.  My mom told me that I could only have two major gifts on my Christmas list; but I wanted a new iPod and an iPhone 4 and a North Face jacket, all around two hundred dollars brand new.  I knew that I was asking for a lot, but as you get older you realize that certain things do not matter as much as they did in the past.  I second guessed my choices and looked to my mom for help.  I asked her for her opinion, in a way I was judging her bluff, seeing if I really had to choose.  She told me that I had better pick wisely and not to ask for too much or I would be disappointed.  I used the information I found on the internet to find retail prices and see which stores had the best prices or offered coupons.  I used this to better my chances of getting all three or even two.

1/10 Assignment

The library is one of my favorite places to be, but not because of the books. My favorite part of the library would be the lounge chairs.  I enjoy this because it gives you a chance to look over the book before you buy or rent it. The chairs are a great way to relax and clear your mind in a quit environment.  Another one of my favorite things about the library would be the silence.  Most people understand that it’s a place of whispers and subtle movements.  This makes it a great place to work.  My least favorite part of the library would be how hard it is to find a specific book.  Most book stores have the sections labeled by genre but the library is absolutely confusing to me.  I am completely confused about the dewy decimal system.  Also how to find any type of book without assistance. 

1/8 Assignment

My name is Brittney Lymon.  My major is Pre-nursing but im interested in history.  It surprised me how much resources were available on the UWG library website.  I would like to learn how to use GALILEO this semester.